Fallbrook is known for its avocado groves and claims the title "Avocado Capital of the World." It is often called or known as "The Friendly Village."[citation needed] The Avocado Festival is held in the downtown strip annually and frequently draws large crowds.

Fallbrook has a thriving art community with Fallbrook School of the Arts, numerous art galleries, approx. 30 pieces of public art and an active Art Center with rotating exhibits. The School of the Arts offers year-round classes and workshops in painting, drawing, ceramics, printmaking, jewelry making, fiber arts[4] as well as art programs for youth, and there are plans for expansion in 2015/16.

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The community of Fallbrook began in the area known today as Live Oak County Park. The first permanent recorded settlement was in 1869, when the Vital Reche family settled here. They named the new community Fall Brook after their former homestead in Pennsylvania.[5]

The present town site was plotted in 1885.[citation needed] The original Fallbrook School, though closed as a school in 1939, still serves the community as the Reche Clubhouse.[citation needed] One of the community’s churches was constructed in 1890 and is still in use today.[citation needed]

Oak trees were the original primary trees in Fallbrook.[citation needed]Olives became a major crop by the 1920s and continued through World War II, but were eventually phased out in favor of the present avocado and floral industry.[citation needed] There are over sixty wholesale and retail nurseries in the community.[citation needed]

Incorporation votes occurred in 1981 and 1987, but both votes failed.[6]

Fallbrook has an average year-round temperature of 61 degrees.[citation needed] Due to the prevailing ocean breezes, the humidity is relatively low and constant.

The average daytime high in Fallbrook is 76 degrees, although in the summer, temperatures sometimes exceed 90 degrees. Most of the area is frost-free; during the coldest periods the average nighttime temperature is about 42 degrees. Due to its proximity to the ocean, days often start with early morning fog; afternoons can be breezy.[citation needed]

Annual rainfall is roughly 10 inches (25 cm) and comes mostly between November and April. Rainfall is higher in the surrounding hills, up to 20 inches (51 cm). The area is ideal for avocados, strawberries, tomatoes and many other sub-tropical fruits, vegetables, and flowers.[citation needed]

Native evergreen oak trees are common in the Fallbrook area, and in places form continuous woods (e.g. Live Oak Park area). Chaparral brushland is the other common vegetation type in the area. Avocados and Eucalyptus are the most common introduced tree species in the area.[citation needed]

The Fallbrook Community Planning Area is approximately 44 square miles (110 km2).[citation needed] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 17.6 square miles (46 km2). 17.5 square miles (45 km2) of it is land and 0.03 square miles (0.078 km2) of it (0.19%) is water.

The Census reported that 30,383 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 94 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 57 (0.2%) were institutionalized.

There were 9,999 households, out of which 3,929 (39.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,953 (59.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,140 (11.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 577 (5.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 528 (5.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 45 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,782 households (17.8%) were made up of individuals and 870 (8.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04. There were 7,670 families (76.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.40.

The population was spread out with 8,045 people (26.3%) under the age of 18, 3,768 people (12.3%) aged 18 to 24, 7,022 people (23.0%) aged 25 to 44, 7,457 people (24.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,242 people (13.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.7 years. For every 100 females there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.

There were 10,855 housing units at an average density of 618.1 per square mile (238.7/km²), of which 5,921 (59.2%) were owner-occupied, and 4,078 (40.8%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.5%. 17,274 people (56.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 13,109 people (42.9%) lived in rental housing units.

There were 9,367 households out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 16.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $43,778, and the median income for a family was $48,157. Males had a median income of $31,615 versus $27,116 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,152. About 10.7% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

On October 21, 2007, wildfires broke out across San Diego county and other parts of Southern California. By October 23, the Rice Canyon Fire had crossed Interstate 15 and spread into the east area of Fallbrook along Reche Road, prompting a mandatory evacuation order for all residents. As of October 23, at least two hundred structures had burned including over one hundred homes in the Valley Oaks Mobile Home Park and Pala Mesa Village condos.[12]

Fallbrook is a center for the arts with longtime residents fostering a creative atmosphere and newcomers bringing additional talents to the area. In the 1940s and 1950s it was the home of film director Frank Capra who raised olives on his Red Mountain Ranch. He served on the Board of the local water district and produced a short subject film about a water rights controversy with the federal government titled "The Fallbrook Story." In the mid-2000s Fallbrook gained popularity among Hollywood celebrities. Among those with primary or secondary residences in Fallbrook: